A FAST UNTO DEATH
3 women DYSA workers' fast unto death enters 8th day
Independent MLAs say all it would take to regularise their jobs is an ordinance
Government also insensitive to needs of para teachers, lifeguards, security guards and ambulance workers
Not a single government official or ruling party MLA has visited the striking workers
Sawal says govt has made a U-turn on corruption by reinstating chief minister's brother-in-law Ghanshyam Malvankar
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Independent MLAs reiterate support to protesting DSYA workers
Fast unto death enters eighth day at Azad Maidan
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
Independent MLAs Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal showed their support to the protesting Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA) employees at Azad Maidan on Thursday. The MLAs in their support said the government was not interested in resolving their issues and that all it would take to regulairse their jobs would be a cabinet decision.
Speaking to media persons after speaking with the employees currently on their eighth day of protest, Khaunte said “If an ordinance could be made changing the status of a coconut tree, then one cabinet decision would be enough to regularise all the striking workers.”
He added that the current government was insensitive to the needs of the people including para teachers, lifeguards, security guards and ambulance workers, who have also gone on strike during the BJP-led State government's tenure.
Bicholim MLA Sawal echoing the Porvorim MLA's sentiments pointed to how schemes launched didn’t match their ideologies. “The government on one hand has given the Ladli Laxmi scheme but on the other hand is making sure women are unemployed,” he said.
He also called the fact that in the last eight days not a single government official or ruling party MLA had come to visit the striking workers, “a sad state-of-affairs.”
Stating that if Goa Forward were to come to power in the upcoming 2017 elections, Sawal said they would reinstate all the workers who have been removed by the BJP government.
While commenting on the reinstatement of the chief minister's brother-in-law Ghanshyam Malvankar, Sawal said “BJP said that corrupt people have no place in Goa, but they have made a U-turn on that, just like they have on drugs and casinos.”
“The reinstatement is proof of the nepotism of the chief minister as it is a very wrong move. We will be bringing up this issue in the House. There are so many issues that need to be addressed during the three-week Monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, I hope the Speaker lets us talk,” said Khaunte.
Goa Forward and Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress also extended their support to the striking DSYA employees.
It may be recalled that a total of 145 daily wage workers have for months been demanding that their jobs be restored to them. As no headway was being made, three workers - Mehak Badami, Sangeeta Patil and Teresa Fernandes are on a fast unto death which has entered the eight day. They are demanding that the department renew their job contracts.
